Tie-rod coupler



1965 c. M. JAHN 3,203,717

TIE-ROD COUPLER Filed May 1 1962 Fig. 3

F .9 INVENTGR. g CARL M. JAH/V ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,203,717TIE-ROD COUPLER Carl M. Jahn, 2120 S. Joliet St., Denver, Colo. FiledMay 1, 1962, Ser. No. 191,484 4 Claims. (Cl. 287-111) This inventionrelates to the art and practice of fabricating forms for the receptionand shaping of concrete, and more particularly to that technique ofconcrete form construction characterized by the use of headed tie-rodsapplied perpendicularly through and to project at each end exteriorlyfrom the opposed walls of a form thereby related and maintained indesired separation, and has as an object to provide novel and practicalmeans useful in optional coaction with the exterior ends of suchtie-rods as associated with a form to facilitate and to expedite theoperations requisite to ready the form for intended use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedcoupler applicable at option in coaction with the headed end of atlC-rI'Od exterior to a form wall to extend the effective length of thetie-rod projection outwardly from the Wall.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedcoupler that is expedient of attachment in lengthextending coaction withheaded tie-rod terminals exterior to a concrete form wall withoutrecourse to tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedtie-rod coupler that is useful in the organization of concrete forms tosimplify and facilitate appropriately effective correlation of formtie-rod, panel, and bracing components.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedtie-rod coupler that is applicable to accommodate efficient organizationof forms characterized by tie-rod components alike as to headed terminallength and consequent projection exteriorly from a form wall wherewithengaged.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedtie-rod coupler that is effectual to selectively associate walers andstrongbacks of diverse sizes in appropriate operative relation with aform wall and the headed terminals of tie-rods correspondinglyprojecting therefrom.

A further object 'of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedtie-rod coupler that is simple and economical of production in any ofvarious specific embodiments, that is in all embodiments compact in aunitary arrangement conveniently manipulable to and away from userelations, that is adapted to function without impairment throughoutlong periods of repetitious service, and that is positive and efficientin attainment of the purposes for which designed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists inthe construction, arrangement, and operative combination of elements ashereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, andillustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one practical embodiment of the inventionas applied in position 'of use to couple a headed rod extension to theheaded terminal projection of a conventional tie-rod.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement according toFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a section taken transversely and substantially on theindicated line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a section taken transversely and substantially on theindicated line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section taken transversely and substantially on theindicated line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view, on a relativelyenlarged scale, ofan alternative embodiment of the invention as applied in couplingcoaction with the headed ends of a conventional tie-rod projection and arod extension thereof.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view of the arrangement according toFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a section taken transversely and substantially on theindicated line 88 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 6 of anotherpractical embodiment of the invention apart from association with thetie-rod components it is designed to couple.

FIGURE 10 is a section taken transversely and substantially on theindicated line 10-40 of FIGURE 9.

Conventional, widely-practiced techniques of concrete form fabricationhave in common the use of edgeabutted coplanarly-aligned, upright panelsdefining form walls intersected and spaced apart by tie-rods havinglike, opposite, headed terminals adapted to project as a patterned arrayoutwardly from the wall panels for coaction with wedging means actuablein reaction to the terminal heads of the rods to clamp walers,strongbacks, and equivalent reinforcements to bracing and retainingrelation with the panels effective to consolidate the form withprovision for convenient subsequent disassembly thereof.Terminally-headed tie-rods suited for use as above described arecommercially available in a range of lengths and length subdivisionseffective to determine separation of the opposed walls of the form towhich applied and also to provide, for and in connection with eachparticular wall-separating potential featuring the rods, headedterminals of different lengths symmetrically paired on a given rod forcorrespondingly-different projection exteriorly from the wall panelswhereto applied. Intended for and applied to effect clamping coaction ofa rod projection and a waler transverse thereof, a large proportion ofthe tie-rods utilized in concrete form fabrication as above describedare those having headed terterminals alike in a length to establishprojection exteriorly of the form wall panels slightly exceeding thewidth of the waler wherewith they are designed to cooperate,irrespective of their wall-separating capability. Suitably spaced apartin appropriate pattern, the tierods terminally proportioned for directcorrelation with the waler are customarily adequate for consolidation ofthe form in condition to receive and confine a charge of concretewithout failure or distortions, but specialized conditions attendingerection and use of a form frequently present occasion for supplementingand reinforcing the wall bracing provided by the walers, as by means ofwidth-doubled or relatively-wider waler components, strongbacks bridgingin bearing engagement exteriorly across the walers, and the like,clamp-yoked by the tie-rods to and through the form to resist forcestending to separate the form walls. It is conventional practice toattempt anticipation of the need for and the location of supplementaryreinforcement to be included in a concrete form organization and tocorrespondingly adapt the form during its erection for satisfaction ofthe anticipated needs through provision at the predetermined locationsof tie-rods having headed terminals lengthsuited to span and coact withcomponents of the supplementary reinforcement exterior to the walers insubstitution for the tie-rods terminally conditioned to cooperate withthe walers. The conventional practice of supplementary formreinforcement just discussed substantially precludes any suchstrengthening of the form save at the predetermined locations furnishedwith the tie-rods having the longer headed terminals and thus seriouslyrestricts correction of weaknesses in the form structure apparent onlyafter erection has been completed, and such practice, necessitatingsuitable supply of tie-rods differing as to the length of their headedterminals and supervised attention as to their selective placement intimely correlation with the progress of form organization, is less thanagreeably conservative of material and labor costs. Obviously, were itfeasible to construct the form with tie-rods of but one, uniform lengthof headed terminals adapted for coaction with the walers and, where andas desired, to subsequently and expediently extend the terminals ofselected said rods to effect desired coaction with strongbacks, widerwalers, and the equivalent, facility and flexibility of supplementaryreinforcement of the form would result with economy of time and expense,and the instant invention is hence directed to the provision of acoupler manually applicable to detachably engage a terminallyheaded,short tie-rod of appropriate variable length to and as an operativeextension of any one of the tie-rod projections characterizing the formorganization.

Indicative of the function and representative of the use environmentcommon to the several embodiments of the invention illustrated andhereinafter particularly described, a rod portion terminating in ashouldered head 11 typifies, as shown in certain views of the drawing,the exterior projection of any conventional tie-rod in customary useassociation with a concrete form structure as to which outward extensionof effective length is desired, and the numeral 12 designates a separateportion of rod material equivalent to that of the rod 10 terminating inopposed, shouldered heads 13 identical with the head 11 which determinefor the rod portion 12 a length appropriate to effect desired outwardextension of the rod projection 10 when said portions 10 and 12 arecoaligned with one of the heads 13 closely and abuttingly approached tothe head 11. Preformed to different, and expediently assorted lengths,the extensions characterized by the rod portion 12 and heads 13 aresupplied for contemplated supplementing attachment to selected exteriorprojections presented by an array of identical conventional tie-rodscomprised in a given form to be braced, whereby to accommodateattachment of an extension of appropriate length in any and everylocation of intended such use.

Conveniently manipu-lable to detachably connect an extension of selectedlength to the projecting portion 10 of a conventional tie-rod comprisedin a form structure with no strength impairment of the so-relatedcomponents, the embodiment of the coupler illustrated by FIGURES 1-5,inclusive, of the drawing is susceptible of economical production andeminently feasible of use. As shown in the views just noted, the coupleris integrally formed and unitarily contrived from suitable strongmaterial, such as metal, as a straight, elongated, trough portion 15adapted to laterally receive and conformably seat a corresponding lengthof the extension rod 12, a shorter trough portion 16 spacedly opposed toand aligned with said portion 15 adapted to laterally receive andconformably seat a corresponding length of the rod projection 10, and aradiallyenlarged trough portion 17 intermediately and integrallyconjoining the trough portions 15 and 16. Characteristically, the troughportions 15, 16 and 17 are formed with full-length, open sides which forthe portions 15 and 16 are alike in a Width of opening appropriate tofreely pass the like diameters of the rods 10 and 12 while that of theportion 17 has a greater width of opening suitable to freely pass thelike diameters of the heads 11 and 13, and said trough portions arearranged with a longitudinal bisectors of their open sides coaligned toestablish a channel ful y traversing and opening through the oppositeends of the unit therefrom comprised. *F-or intended coaction withsections of the rods 10 and 12, the channels of the trough portions 15and 16 are concavely and coaxially bottomed to the rod radius in axialregistration with and at the opposite sides of the enlarged channel ofthe trough portion 17 which is concavely bottomed to the radius of therod heads, whereby to accommodate lateral seating of a headed rodsection in each of the trough portions 15 and 16 with the head componentthereof received in the channel of the trough portion 17. The channelsof the trough portions 15 and 16 are defined in depths, not necessarilyalike, exceeding the radius of the rod receivable therein and expandinwardly of the unit to merge with the deeper channel of the troughportion 17 provided in a depth approximating the diameter of the rodhead, all of which expediently results from a shaping of the materialfrom which the trough portions are formed to substantial ly the outlinerepresented by the views of the drawing characterized, in particular, byan outward bulge of the trough portion 17 from smooth convergence withthe trough portions 15 and 16 thereby conjoined; an inherent feature ofthe resulting outline being a definite offset of the mar-gins of thetrough 17 limiting the width of the channel thereof laterally andoutwardly beyond the convergently-associated channel margins of thetrough portions 15 and 16.

The coupler of the invention having as practical purpose to effect adefinite and known length extension of a tie-rod projection exterior toa form wall in a manner to qualify the extension as a functionalcontinuation of the associated tie-rod, provision is made for uniformlyand depend-ably relating one head of the applied extension with theterminal head of the tie-rod so supplemented for invariabledetermination of the length increase as reflection of the length of theextension utilized with concomitant effective resolution andtransmission to the tierod of the stresses imposed upon the extension.Appr0- priate correlation of one head 13 of the extension with the head11 of the tie-rod project-ion effective through and to realize thepurposes of the coupler results from intrusive deformation of thecoupler material conjoining the trough portion 17 with the portions 15and 16 to establish opposed lugs 18 inwardly restricting the convergenceof the chan nel of the trough portion 15 with that of the portion 17 andsimilar lugs 19 inwardly restricting the convergence of the channel ofthe trough portion 16 with that of the portion 17 spacedly confrontingsaid lugs 18. In a separation that does not interfere with full seatingof the rod 12 and its head 13 in the channels of the trough portions 15and 17, the lugs 18 terminate the flat end faces coplanar interiorly andlaterally of the trough portion 17 where the full-dimension channel ofthe latter begins to merge with the channel of the trough portion 15,whereby to dispose the end faces of said lugs 18 as abutments at andinteriorly obstructing one end of the full-dimension channel of thetrough portion 17 effective in coaction with the shouldered, annularface of a head 13 entered laterally within said portion 17 to limit anddetermine shift of said head and its associated rod 12 axially in adirection outwardly of the trough portion 15. Similarly, the lugs 19 areseparated to avoid interference with the seating of a rod 10 and itshead 11 in the channels of the coupler and terminate in fiat end facescoplanar interiorly and laterally of the trough portion 17 inparallelism with the plane of the end faces terminating the lugs 18 at aspacing from the latter slightly exceeding the combined axial lengths ofthe like heads 11 and 13 simultaneously engageable within the troughportion 17 of the coupler, whereby said lugs 19 are arranged to limitand determine shift of a head 11 axially and in a direction outwardly ofthe trough portion 16 from operative seated coaction with the coupler.Arranged and spaced as shown and described, the lugs 18 and 19 serve inengagement with the heads 11 and 13 of the rod elements 10 and 12 tocouple the extension to the rod projection in a definite, predeterminedlength combination dependably reflecting the length of the selectedextension unit and function to reliably transmit tensioning stressesimposed upon the so-coupled extension to and for resolution by thetie-rod of which the rod portion 10 is a projection.

Structurally adequate and functionally complete as shown and thus fardescribed, the manipulative convenience and practical utility of theimproved coupler are enhanced by supplementing features which facilitateits application to and retention in position of use. Quite obviously,preliminary attachment of an extension rod 12 with its double heads 13to and for manipulation to position of use as a unit with the couplerpromotes ease and speed of the intended coupling operation, to which endan annular clip 20 of appropriate spring material interrupted to passthe diameter of the rod 12 is slidably and rotatably engaged about andto embrace in excess of the half-circumference of the trough portion 15inwardly of a retaining bead, or enlargement, outwardly terminating thesaid portion. The clip 20 may be turned on the trough portion toregister its interruption with the open side of the trough channelthereby cleared to receive the rod 12 for intended coaction with thecoupler as above set forth, and the said clip thereafter turned to closeover the channel and the rod received therein, as represented by FIGURE3, to retain the rod against separation from the coupler. With the clip20 shifted outwardly along the trough portion 15, the rod 12 may bemoderately oscillated thereunder to enter the inner of its heads 13within the channel of the trough portion 17, or to retract said headradially and outwardly away from said channel, in connection with orindependently of axial shift of the rod relative to the clip and thetrough portion 15 directed to clear and fully open the channel of thetrough portion 17, when and as desired, and alternatively to seat therod 12 in the channel of the trough portion 15 with one of its terminalheads 13 seated in the channel of the trough portion 17 and thereincoacting with the ends of the intruded lugs 18, in which latterillustrated association of the rod extension and coupler the clip 20 maybe shifted on and inwardly along the trough portion 15 in maintainedembracing relation with the rod 12 to inhibit inadvertent separation ofthe head 13 from its full-seated connection with the coupler.Facilitating connection of the coupler in retained use association withthe rod projection 10 and its head 11, opposed free margins of the sidewalls bordering the channel of the trough porion 17 are convergedadjacent the conjunction of the trough portions 16 and 17 as lips 21effectively restricting and narrowing the opening to the channel of thetrough portion 17 immediately above and inwardly of the trough portionfrom the ends of the lugs 19 in partially-circumscribing relation withthe position of the head 11 when in its intended operative coaction withthe coupler. The lips 21 serve to confine the head 11 against escapelaterally of the trough portion 17 from a seat in the channel of thelatter such as to engage the head with the ends of the lugs 19, asrepresented in FIGURE 1, and extend in overhanging relation with theinward ends of said lugs 19 toward the lugs 18 but slightly to leaveunobstructed the major length of the channel opening to the troughportion 17 in a width adequate to freely pass the heads 11 and 13laterally to and from said channel.

Furnished with the clip 20 and lips 21 as illustrated and abovedescribed the coupler represented by FIGURES l- 5, inclusive, isconditioned to effect attachment of a headed rod extension to and inretained operative relation with any selected headed terminal projectionof a tie-rod conventionally associated with a concrete form organizationpursuant to manipulations conveniently simple of speedy execution.Desirably, although not necessarily, a supply of the coupler units isreadied for subsequent use in individual association with a headed rodextension 12 loosely retained thereon under and by means of the clip 26located near the outer end of the trough portion 15. Upon occasion forlength-extension of a tie-rod projection 10, a coupler carrying anextension 12 of appropriate length is arranged through relativeadjustment of the latter to clear the inner head 13 from and out ofobstructing relation with the opening to the channel of the troughportion 17 and is then applied to receive the head 11 in said channelthrough the unobstructed and unrestricted area of its lateral opening assaid opening is approached upwardly to and from below the head 11 withthe coupler trough portion 16 underlying the rod 10 in downwarddivergence therefrom. With the head 11 received to full seatedengagement within the channel of the trough portion 17, the coupler isrocked thereon to coaxial alignment with the rod 10 and simultaneouslyshifted outwardly on the rod to abutment of said head against theintruded ends of the lugs 19 and entrapment of the salient arc of saidhead beneath the lips 21 as the rod 10 seats adjacent its conjunctionwith the head in the channel of the trough portion 16, whereby thecoupler carrying the extension rod 12 is linked to and retained againstinadvertent separation on the tie-rod projection designed to beextended. Shift of the coupler on the rod 10 to engagement of the head11 with the ends of the lugs 19 clears a length of the channel of thetrough portion 17 adequate to receive and accommodate the inner head 13of the extension 12 engageable therewithin through oscillation and shiftof the latter appropriate to seat said rod 12 in the channel of thetrough portion 15 in coalignment with the rod 11) as the said head 13 isentered to its seat within the trough portion 17 adjacent and inposition to bear against the intruded ends of the lugs 18, whereafterslide adjustment of the clip 20 on and inwardly of the trough portion 15in maintained embracing coaction with the rod 12 serves to inhibitescape of the head 13 from a disposition wherein it opposes retractionof the head 11 from the restraining influence of the lips 21 andpreserves a self-supporting, operative correlation of the extension rod12 and rod projection 10 effective to transmit tensioning stressesimposed upon the rod 12 to and for resolution through the tie-rodthereby extended. Obviously, recovery of the coupler and its associatedrod extension from use position in condition for reuse involves but areversal of the operations above set forth, shift of the clip 20outwardly on the trough portion 15 to free the rod 12 for oscillationeffective to displace the head 13 from the channel of the trough portion17 and subsequent shift of the coupler on the rod 10 to free the head 11from the influence of the lips 21 being fullyadequate to detach thecoupler and extension from the rod projection in unimpaired condition.

While it is of practical advantage to connect the rod extensions 12 tothe couplers by means of the clips 20 prior to use application thereof,it is fully apparent that the coupler separate from its rod extensionmay be first connected to the rod projection 10 as above described andthe extension 12 then applied to the mounted coupler throughmanipulation of the clip 20 with attainment of the same ultimate resultand the combination as characterizes the technique first detailed.

The alternative embodiment represented by FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 is astructurally-modified, functional equivalent of the coupler hereinbeforedescribed and is employable to operatively interlink the head 11 of atie-rod projection 10 and a juxtaposed head 13 of a rod extension 12 ina correlation identical as to purpose and analogues as to facility withthat of the first-described unit.

As shown in the views last noted, the coupler is a tubular sleeve 22end-closed by integral webs 23 parallel transversely of the sleeve in aspacing of their opposed faces slightly exceeding the combined lengthsof the head 11 and its duplicate 13. The sleeve 22 defines asemicircular cavity sized and concaved to receive and conformably seatthe half-circumferences of the heads 11 and 13 in a coaxial correlationof said heads, sleeve, and the rod portions terminated by the heads,which cavity opens laterally in its full diametric dimension through oneside of the sleeve across the extent of web 23 separation to intersectthe exterior cylindrical wall of the sleeve in parallel lips 24establishing a plane chordally of the sleeve which is continued throughthe end webs 23; said lateral opening of the cavity providing passagefor the heads 11 and 13 to and from seated accommodation within thecavity. At its intersection with the end webs 23, the plane common tothe lips 24 is laterally and symmetrically interrupted by a notch 25intruded radially in and to open axially through each of the end webs 23in a size to receive and pass the diameter of the like rods 10 and 12,which said identical, complementarily-disposed notches 25 aliketerminate centrally of the end webs 23 as arcuate seats 26 concentricwith the sleeve and its end webs adapted to conformably accommodate andcoaxially align the rod portions 10 and 12 mounting the heads 11 and 13engageable in juxtaposed opposition within the cavity of the sleeve 22.With the lateral opening of its sleeve cavity unobstructed, the couplercomprised from the sleeve 22 and end webs 23 is expediently applicableto operatively connect the extension 12 to the tie-rod projection 14)through simultaneous embracing engagement with the associated heads 11and 13 entered in opposition through the cavity opening to seatedreception within the cavity and bearing coaction with inner faces of theend webs 23 as the rod components traverse the latter by Way of thenotches 25, in which operative correlation, clearly represented byFIGURE 6, the coupler serves to establish and determine the axialcooperation of the rod components and is effective to transmit to thetie-rod typified by the projection 10 tensioning stresses imposed uponthe extension 12 when and as provision is made to obviate inadvertantrelease of said heads, either or both, from the interior of the sleeve.Where the plane established by the lips 24 interrupts the cylindricalexterior and alters the radial projection of the sleeve 22 there isconsequent exposure outwardly through the opening to the sleeve cavityof corresponding peripheral arcs of the heads 11 and 13 received andseated Within said cavity, as is clearly shown in FIGURES 7 and 8,availably disposed for coaction with a retainer manipulable to closethereover and secure the heads within and against separation from thesleeve. In the simple, practical arrangement illustrated, the retaineris contrived as an interrupted, annular band 27 ofconstrictively-biased, spring material, such as metal, adapted toconformably and rotatably embrace in excess of the half-circumference ofthe exterior of the sleeve 22 in a width, or dimension axially of thesleeve, approximating the length of the sleeve cavity receivable withrestraint of relative axial displacement between radially-narrow,annular shoulders 28 exteriorly and circumferentially enlarging the endwebs 23 relative to the sleeve 22 at and about their conjunctions.Constrictively engaged on and about the sleeve 22 between the shoulders28 to present an annular interruption adequate to at times fully exposethe lateral opening to the sleeve cavity separating the lips 24, theretainer 27 is revoluble in a maintained axial correlation on and aboutthe sleeve 22 to selectively and alternatively fully expose the cavityopening between the lips 24 and to entirely close over said opening withconcomitant envelopment of the exposed arcs of the heads 11 and 13, asin FIGURE 8, efiective to inhibit escape of said heads, and theirassociated rod components, from operative coaction with the coupler.Employable in an obvious manner, the coupler typified by the sleeve 22is detachably applicable in analogy with the coupler typified by thetrough portion 17 to effectuate the purposes and to attain the resultscharacterizing the latter.

Functionally equivalent to the two coupler embodiments previouslydescribed, the organization represented by FIGURES 9 and 10 ischaracteristicaily and operatively similarto the embodiment typified bythe sleeve 22 in a structural departure therefrom distinguished by aunitary construction dispensing with the inclusion of, or occasion for,relatively-movable components. Organized as a sleeve 29 resembling thesleeve 22 and end webs 30 transverse thereof comparable to the end webs23 in a combination sized and proportioned for application to and seatedreception of the heads 11 and 13 to be interlinked in functionalconformity with the coupler last above discussed, the embodimentaccording to FIGURES 9 and 10 is distinguished by means for and a mannerof coaction with the rod components of the heads 11 and 13 adapting thecoupler to effectuate its purposes and to maintain its operativecapability in reflection of simple rotational manipulations of the unitincident to its use application. Designed for centered accommodation andseating of the rod components 10 and 12, the ends webs 30 of themodified coupler embodiment are alike intersected by concentric,semi-circular rod seats 31 sized and disposed as are the seats 26terminating the notches 25 of the analogous embodiment for operativecoaction with the rod components 10 and 12, and in contrast with theaccess notches 25 terminating in said seats 26 the seats 31 are .alikeserved by and terminate spiral throats 32 sized to pass the diameter ofthe rod components which curve from convergence to the associated seatoutwardly and away from the axis of the sleeve 29 toward the peripheryof the end web 30 thereby interrupted through which periphery they openby way of a correspondingly-sized, reversely-curved, throat continuation33; said seats 31, throats 32, and throat continuations 33 of each endWeb 30 being registered axially of the unit. Since the features 31, 32and 33 constitute a passage for a rod component thereby seated coaxiallyof the sleeve 29 and such rod component terminates in an enlarged,concentric head movable therewith to reception within the sleeve, it ismanifest that the path of head access to the cavity of the sleeve isnecessarily established by the trace generated by the periphery of thehead as it moves with the rod component along and in centeredregistration with the bisector of the throat 32 and its continuation 33,which trace determines .a spiral convergence of the wall of the sleeve29 remote from the outlet opening of the throat continuation 33 and lips34 in spaced parallelism axially of the sleeve defining a lateralopening to the cavity of said sleeve somewhat Wider than that betweenthe lips 24 of the analogous embodiment but considerably less than onehundred and eighty degrees of arc, whereby to leave intact more than thehalf-circumference of the wall of the sleeve 29, substantially as shownby FIGURE 10. As should be readily apparent, the rod components to becoupled are entered through the access passages provided by the throatsin the end webs of the unit to engagement with their respective seats 31and simultaneously carry their head elements to reception within thecavity of the sleeve 29 and shouldered bearing coaction with the opposedinner faces of the end Webs 30 for ultimate coupled correlation as shownby FIGURE 6 and previously described, retention of the components andheads in the so-established coupled relation with inhibition ofcomponent and head separation from the coupler being assured throughsuch rotation of the coupler on and about the seated rod components aswill preclude their outward traverse of the throats 32 and continuations33 in reaction to the influence of gravity.

Since changes, variations, and modifications in the form, construction,and arrangement of the elements shown and described may be had withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, I Wish to be understood asbeing limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than byany details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invent-ion:

1. A rod coupler for detachably engaging a terminallyheaded rod to andas a coaligned extension of a like headed projection conventionallyterminating a tie-rod horizontally fixed in use association with aconcrete form, comprising an elongated, rigid member formed with alaterally-open, concavely-bottomed trough portion adapted to receive andconformably seat in closely-spaced coaxial opposition the head of saidprojection and a terminal head of said rod, laterally-open,concavely-bottomed trough, extensions aligned in fixed engagement withan unequal opposite projection from the ends of said trough portionadapted to receive and conformably seat the rod components terminated bythe heads accommodated in said trough portion, said trough extensionsbeing relatively shorter and longer in lengths of projection from thetrough portion exceeding the combined length dimensions of the headsreceivable in said portion, abutments at the conjunctions of said troughportion and trough extensions coactable with the heads engaged withinthe trough portion to inhibit axially-directed separation thereof, meansfixedly restricting the lateral opening of the trough portion inoverhanging relation with the abutment at the joinder of said troughportion and shorter trough extension effective to prevent release fromthe trough portion of a head bearing against the abutment in terminationof a rod component traversing the shorter trough extension, and othermeans slidably and revolubly embracing the longer trough extensionselectively manipulable to effect seated reception of aterminally-headed rod in the trough portion and associated longerextension, to accommodate lat option oscillation of the so-seated rodwith attendant displacement of its head relative to the trough portion,and to latch the head of the so-seated rod in bearing engagement withthe contiguous abutment interiorly of the trough portion.

2. The organization according to claim 1, wherein the elongated, rigid,coupler member is unitarily shaped from suitable material with smoothconvergence of trough portion and trough extensions in a straight-linecontinuity of their lateral openings, and said abutments are lugsintegrally intruded from the conjunctions of said trough portion andtrough extensions to provide ends coactable with annular faces of theheads coplanar .at and transversely of each end of the trough portionopposed in a separation but slightly exceeding the combined lengths ofthe heads receivable therebetween.

3. The organization according to claim 1, wherein the elongated, rigid,coupler member is unitarily shaped from suitable material with smoothconvergence of trough portion and trough extensions in a straight-linecontinuity of their lateral openings, said abutments are lugs integrallyintruded from the conjunctions of said trough portion and troughextensions to provide ends coactable with annular faces of the headscoplanar at and transversely of each end of the trough portion, and themeans fixedly restricting the lateral opening at one end of the troughportion consists of integral lips marginally of the trough portionconvergent from opposite sides of the lateral opening of said portionover inner ends of the subjacent abutment in position to radiallyconfine a head entered .to engagement with the associated abutmentaxially thereunder.

4. The organization according to claim 1, wherein the means manipulablealong and about the longer trough extension is an interrupted, annularclip axially short in relation to the length of the associated troughextension cor related in frictional retention on said extensionalternatively to fully uncover and to close over the lateral openingthereof in all dispositions longitudinally of the extension between aradial enlargement at the free outer end of the extension and theconjunction of the extension With the trough portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 946,594 1/10Brock 287-413 1,458,811 6/ 2-3 Eckert 2871 1-3 1,536,738 5/25 Wirkkala24-123.1 1,582,757 4/26 lines 287-113 1,620,985 3/27 Standlee 241231,997,430 4/ Peirce 24132 2,060,548 11/36 Bolling 287-113 3,092,408 6/63Berman 287-113 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A ROD COUPLER FOR DETACHABLY ENGAGING A TERMINALLYHEADED ROD TO ANDAS A COALIGNED EXTENSION OF A LIKE HEADED PROJECTION CONVENTIONALLYTERMINATING A TIE-ROD HORIZONTALLY FIXED IN USE ASSOCIATION WITH ACONCRETE FORM, COMPRISNG AN ELONGATED, RIGID MEMBER FORMED WITH ALATERALLY-OPEN, CONCAVELY-BOTTOMED TROUGH PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ANDCONFORMABLY SEAT IN CLOSELY-SPACED COAXIAL OPPOSITION THE HEAD OF SAIDPROJECTION AND A TERMINAL HEAD OF SAID ROD, LATERALLY-OPEN,CONCAVELY-BOTTOMED TROUGH EXTENSIONS ALIGNED IN FIXED ENGAGEMENT WITH ANUNEQUAL OPPOSITE PORJECTION FROM THE ENDS OF SAID TROUGH POTION ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE AND CONFORMABLY SEAT THE ROD COMPONENTS TERMINATED BY THEHEADS ACCOMMODATED IN SAID TROUGH PORTION, SAID TROUGH EXTENSIONS BEINGRELATIVELY SHORTER AND LONGER IN LENGTHS OF PROJECTIONS FROM THE TROUGHPORTION EXCEEDING THE COMBINED LENGTH DIMENSIONS OF THE HEADS RECEIVABLEIN SAID PORTION, ABUTMENTS AT THE CONJUNCTIONS OF SAID TROUGH PORTIONAND TROUGH EXTENSIONS COACTALE WITH THE HEADS ENGAGED WITHIN THE TROUGHPORTION TO INHIBIT AXIALLY-DIRECTED SEPARATION THEREOF, MEANS FIXEDLYRESTRICTING THE LATERAL OPENING OF THE TROUGH PORTION IN OVERHANGINGRELATION WITH THE ABUTMENT AT THE JOINDER OF SAID TROUGH PORTION ANDSHORTER TROUGH EXTENSION EFFECTIVE TO PREVENT RELEASE FROM THE TROUGHPORTION OF A HEAD BEARING AGAINS THE ABUTMENT IN TERMINATION OF A RODCOMMEANS SLIDABLY AND REVOLUBLY EMBRACING THE LONGER TROUGH MEANSSLIDABLY AND REVOLUBLY EMBRACING THE LONGER TROUGH EXTENSION SELECTIVELYMANIPULABLE TO EFFECT SEATED RECEPTION OF A TERMINALLY-HEADED ROD IN THETROUGH PORTION AND ASSOCIATED LONGER EXTENSION, TO ACCOMMODATE AT OPTIONOSCILLATION OF THE SO-SEATED ROD WITH ATTENDANT DISPLACEMENT OF ITS HEADRELATIVE TO THE TROUGH PORTION, AND TO LATCH THE HEAD OF THE SO-SEATEDROD IN BEARING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONTIGUOUS ABUTMENT INTERIORLY OF THETROUGH PORTION.